An economist and a Member of Parliament, Jairam Ramesh has held numerous high-level and distinguished positions in the Government of India, including as Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Union Cabinet Minister for Rural Development and Union Minister of State Commerce and Power. He has also served in the Planning Commission of India and in the Advisory Board on Energy, Cabinet Secretariat. He has been a leading figure in international climate negotiations. In 2009 at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, he played the role of chief negotiator for India.